Past Alumni Profiles

John Admire

OC Class of: 1963

Occupation: United States Marine Corps with service in 3 wars and 5 combat tours.

Employer/Company: United States Marine Corps with service in 3 wars and 5 combat tours. Served or traveled in 92 countries including 8 years in the Far East, 4 years in Europe, 1 year in South/Latin America, 1 year in Africa, and 2 years in Middle East/Southeast Asia.

Employer/Company Location: Served or traveled in 92 countries including 8 years in the Far East, 4 years in Europe, 1 year in South/Latin America, 1 year in Africa, and 2 years in Middle East/Southeast Asia.

Family Info: Single-parent "Dad" to my daugher, Katelyn, who is a scholar student-athlete attending the University of Tulsa and majoring in Pre-Med.

Education

Studied Mass Comm/Journalism at OCC & completed BA in Journalism at University of Oklahoma.

Advanced Education

MA in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma; MA in Military History from Old Dominion University; MA in Foreign Relations from Salve Regina Newport University; and MA in Strategic Studies and Economic Policies from the Naval War College. (My Dad once alleged I was never smart enough to earn a PhD and believed I needed more education than most. He was right about both.)

Professional Experience: Infantry Platoon Leader in the Vietnam War. Later commanded Marine Infantry or Reconnaisance/Special Operations units at every level from a Platoon of 40 Marines to a Division of 20,000 Marines.

Volunteer Efforts:

Coach and Swimming Official with Special Olympics; youth team softball, soccer, and swimming coach and official; USA Swimming Certified Official; Parent, Teacher, Student, Association (PTSA) President and volunteeer; Marathon and 10K Race Director and Coordinator; and active with Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Rotary, and similar organizations.

Biggest Challenge/Greatest Achievement:

While I was honored to serve as the Senior Military Social Aide for the President of the United States in the White House, to serve on General Colin Powell's Joint Staff in the Pentagon, and to serve as the Marine Corps' General Officer Liaison to the United States Congress on Capitol Hill, I consider my time in command of Marine operating forces and the privilege of sharing time with young Marines as career highlights.

Professional/Personal Goals:

In the later part of my Marine Corps career I became a "Dad," to my daughter, Katelyn. She's the absolute blessing and joy of my life. My goal at her birth was to be the best "Dad" I could be and her many successes have made me appear a better "Dad" than I could have ever hoped or been without her. God truly blessed me with Katelyn. Once she began college I was lost until I accepted the challenge of writing my first novel, "Darker Than Dark," which is a story of courage and compassion of Marines in the Vietnam War and a tribute to those who served in the war.

Best Advice for OC Students:

Life can be complicatedat times, so keep it as simple as possible when and where you can. We all discover that most of our successes in life are the result of working hard, playing hard, and making good decisions...and the sooner we discover that the more successful we will beand the more we will enjoy the journey of life. In the process, we learn that true success in life is simply being a good, decent, and honorable person; in being happy and sharing happiness with others; and in being true to your faith, your family, and your friends.